Can filling and sealing machine.



F. B. MARTIN.

CAN FILLING AND SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21. 1914.

1 1 97,75 3 v Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

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F. B. MARTIN.

CAN FILLING AND SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2T, I9I4.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Lave/afar.

F. B. MART|N.`

CAN FILLING AND SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1914.

m w G u@ i 0 y w QR APPLICATION FILED APR27|19I4.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4 F. B. MARTIN.

CAN FILLING AND SEALING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION man APR. 27, 1914.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Y 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

a au'g/ Stun/wals UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEICE.

FRANK B. MAETIN, 0E BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, AssIGNoE To PosTUM CEEEAL Co. LIMITED, or BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, A PARTNERSHIP.

CAN FILLING AND sEALINo MACHINE.

Specication ofl Letters Patent. Patnted Sept. 12, 1916..

. Application filed April 27, 1914. Serial No. 834,750.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FRANK B. MARTIN, of Battle Creek, 'Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Can Fill- 5 ing and Sealing Machines, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to machines designed to automatically supply a measured uantity of granular material to recepta-v c es such as cans, and after the same is supplied, to automatically and hermetically seal the same. The objects vof the invention are to provide a structure of this character which shall handle the cans or other receptacles without injury thereto, place a predetermined amount of material in the. cans, seal the same, as by forcinga slightly tapering closure into the can opening, and then discharge the can or receptacle from the machine, and deliver it to any desired point, the whole being conducted in such a manner as to preserve the exterior ofthe can clean and free from the granular material, supply each can with the same amount of material,

' close it hermetically, and deliver the can with rapidity and without marring or injuring the same.

wWith these objects in view, the invention consists in providing an intermittently operating carrier associated with suitable can feeding devices, measuring devices and sealing or closure mechanism, each of which performs its particular functionkduring the periods of rest occurring between the intermittcnt movements of the carrier.

The invention further resides in certain details of construction which will be best understood from a reading of the accompanying specification.

The inventive idea may be embodied in a variety of mechanical constructions, one of which, for the purpose of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawings, which drawings, however, are designed for illustrative purposes only, and are not to be taken as defining the limits of the invention, reference beinghad to the appended claims for this purpose.

In said drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine; Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking from the left-hand side of Fig. 1; Fig. 2a is a detail showing the construction of the intermittent carrier; Fig. 3

is a side elevation on the opposite side from that shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an elevation looking from the left in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the hopper and measuring device, taken on the line 5-5 of `Fig.'4, and showing the measuring device in the position it occupies in discharging a measured quantity of material; Fig. 6 is a sectional detail, similar to Fig. 5, with the measuring device in'position to receive a charge of material from the hopper; Fig. 7 is'a horizontal section taken on the'line 7-7 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 8 is a like section, taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 2. v

` Referring to the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts .throughout the several views, 1 indicates the framework of the machine, and 2 the driving belt leading from any.- suitable source of power to a pulley 3 on a shaft 4, in bearings on the side of the frame l, and having va gear wheel 5 thereon meshing with a gear 6 on a short shaft 7, having bearings in a swinging bracket 8 hung to the shaft 4.

i The bracket 8 has an arm 9 extending upward and on the opposite side .of the shaft 4 from the gear 6, and is connected by a link 10 to an eccentric 11 on a shaft 12 having bearings in the framework'of the machine, and provided with a lever arm or crank handle 13, by means of which the shaft 12 may be rocked see Figs. 3, 4 and 7 A horizontal shaft 14 has` a gear wheel 15 keyed thereto, and when the machine is in operation, this gear wheel 15 is in mesh with the gear 6. On' the opposite end of the shaft 14 from the gear 15 is a disk 16, having a pawl 17 pivoted thereto and coperating with a ratchet 18 .(here shown as a six-tooth ratchet),.keyed to a shaft 19 (see Figs. 1 and 8). This shaft 19 has a bevel gear 20 thereon meshing with a bevel gear 21 von a vertical shaft 22, which carries on its upper end a disk-like conveyor 23, provided with a suitable number of pockets 24 for receiving the cans or other receptacles, the said pockets Ybeing shaped .t0 correspond to the shape of the cans and snugly hold the same. The shaft 22 has a collar 25 (Fig. 2) keyed thereto, and the disk 23 is salso preferably provided with a collar 26, by means of which it is keyed to the shaft, the two collars affording the support for the vertical thrust wasv of the shaft, which shaft is provided with bearings 27 suitably mounted in the framer work above the bevel gear 21, and which also takes bearing in a stationary table 28 located immediately below the disk 23. vThis table '28 is provided with a notch or opening 29 (Eig. 2a) for the reception ofthe feed belt, ,and a discharge opening 30 limmediately over a spout or chute 31, leading downward to an off-bearing belt 32. Y

Supported in the framework of the machine is a hopper 33 (Figs. 2 and 5) containing the material to be supplied to the cans. The lower end of said hopper is formed as a cylindrical spout or tube 34, and immediately below the latter is a funnel-like structure 35 with a downwardly directed opening 36, through which the material is delivered to the cans. The rod 37 extends downward through the hopper, and bears on its lower end two reversely placed, conicalshaped valves 38, 38', screw-threaded thereto, with the apex of the cones .adjacent to each other. These valves 38 and 38 at their largest diameter lit snugly within the tubular vportion 34, and` are provided at their bases with sharp scraping edges 39, 39. Means are provided for reciprocating the rod 37, so azs'to move the valves 38, 38 upward and downward vin the tubular portion 34, the proportion of the parts being such terial 'which, because of its hydroscopic properties, is liable to become sticky when exposed to the atmosphere, and unless the same were cleanly scraped from the interior of the tubular portion 34, the amount sticking to the interiorthereof would interfere with the free passage of the material, and

would also render 1t impossible to deliver exactly the same quantity at each 'reciprocation. When the rod 37 is in its upper position, shown in Fig.- 6, the granular material feeds downward, asshown, below the valve 38, and above the valve38, and as the rod 37 and the two valves thereon descend, V.a

`below the 4valve 38 is discharged into the f definite portion of the material is confined in the tubular portion 34 between said valves, until the valve 38 descends below the opening of said tubular portion 34, as shown in Fig. 5, when all l0f the .material funnel-like receptacley 35 and through the opening 36v thereof. As above described, this also resultsin" the cleaning or ,scraping action of the valve edges 39, 39 against the interior walls of the tubular ortion 34.

For the purpose of imparting the desired reciprocation to the rod 37, a divided rockmemes suitable weight 45, and the rocking movement of said lever is imparted to it through a rod 46 passing through and playing freely in a guide block 47, pivoted between the two parts of the lever 40. The rod 46 is pro-' vided with a collar 48 keyed thereto above the lever 40, and a collar l49 keyed thereto below the lever 40, and if desired, buffer springs 50 may be interposed between said collars and the lever. 40, as shown. The lower end of the rod 46 is pivotally connected to an arm 51 (Fig. 1) keyed to a rock shaft 5 2 having suitable bearings in the framework of the machine. This shaft has rocking movement imparted to it through arm 53 keyed thereto and pivotally connectedto a rod '54, which is'eccentrically connected at itsl lower end to gear wheel l5 on the shaft 14.

Mounted to reciprocate through bracket bearing 55 (Fig. 4), secured to the framework of the machine, is a plunger rod 56, which has a collar 57 keyed thereto, between which and the lower bracket varms 55 a spring 58 reacts. Keyed to the shaft 52 is an arm 59, extending outward over the top ofthe plunger rod 56, and when the shaft 52 is rocked downward, said (arm 59 impinges on the top of the plunger 56, and depresses it against the tension of spring 58. Theplunger rod 56 carries on its lower end a tool 60, suitably shaped to force the can closure into the opening of the can so tightly as to hermetically seal it, in away commonv in the art. y

It will be observed Jhat when the rock shaft 52 is rocked downward, it not only forces the plunger rod 56 downward, but at the same time actuates the valve rod 37 in the measuring and feeding hopper 33.

For-the purpose of feeding the cans to the carrier 23 and inserting them in the pockets24 thereof, there is provided an endless feed belt 61, passing overa suitable pulley 62 mounted on a rshaft 63 driven by sprocket-chain' 64, which passes over a sprocket wheel on shaft 65, which shaft in turn is driven by sprocket chain C6 from shaft l14. .The feed belt 61 has its'upper` Hight on a level with the upper surface of the stationary table 28, and `the pulley 62 is so lo'cated that the belt passes into the opening 29 formed in said ta'ble, and as its uppery surface is on `a level with the upper surface of the table, the can, with its bottom resting on the belt, is in a position to iso vlo

be slid off of the belt onto the table. The cans are fed in an upright position into the pocket 24 in the intermittently revolving carrier 23 that is immediately over the opening 29 in the stationary table, being guided into said opening 'by rails 67 (Fig. 1j, placed opposite each other, just above the surface of the upper flight of the belt 61, as will be readily understood from an inspection of Fig. l. 7

The shaft 19 is provided with aA second ratchet wheel 68 (Fig. 1) which, like ratchet wheel 18 on said shaft, is a six-tooth ratchet, but is placed on the shaft with the teeth thereon facing the reverse of those on the ratchet wheel 18, and a stop device coperates with said ratchet wheel to stop the revolution of the shaft 19 just at the end of the throw effected by the pawl 17 and ratchet 18, and thereby prevent any overthrow. This stop device is`in the form of a lever 69 (Fig. 3) pivoted at 70 tothe frame of the machine, and having a shoulder 71 projecting downward in the path of the teeth on the ratchet wheel 68. The lever 69 extends over the ratchet wheel 68 and over the shaft 14, in position to be lifted by a cam 72 on the shaft 14, the action of which cam is so timed that it engages the lever 69 and lifts it so as to remove the stop shoulder from in front of the teeth on the ratchet wheel 68, just before the pawl 17 engages the teeth on the ratchet wheel 18.

1n order to prevent any back-lash of the parts when the pawl 17 throws the ratchet wheel 18 over, and the shoulder 71 engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 68 and stops the same, there is provided apivoted lever 73, referably counterbalanced by a weight 74 (IF ig. 1) acting to hold the nose of the lever against the ratchet wheel 18, so that the nose of said lever drops in front of a tooth on the ratchet wheel 18, justas the stopshoulder 71 on the lever 69 drops behind a tooth on the ratchet wheel 68,

whereby the two levers 69 and 73 operate to ei'ectually lock the parts in position just at the end of the forward thrust of the pawl 17. f

The intermittently revolving table 23 is surrounded by an upwardly projecting flange or railf? 5 which, however, is provided with an opening immediately over the feed belt 61, as will be readily understood from an inspection of Fig. 1. This flange or rail 75 is supported in any suitable way, as by angle irons 76 secured to the frame of machine.

Operation: The hopper 33 being supplied with suitable material, and vcans being supplied to the feed belt 61, the cans arefed by said b'elt, one at a time, into the pockets of the carrier 23, as said pockets come to rest opposite the opening in the flange 75 over the belt. 1t will be observed thev that there are six pockets 24 in the carrier 23, and that there are six teeth to the ratchet -wheel 18, and that at the time when the pocket is at rest to receive a can from the feed belt, the next pocket in a clock-wise direction therefrom is immediately under the funnel-like part 35; the third and fourth pockets are opposite exposed parts of the machine; the`- fifth pocket is immediately under the tool 60 on the plunger rod 56; and the sixth and last pocket 24 is immediately over the opening 30 in the stationary table 28 and above the delivery spout or chute 31. With the parts in thisposition, the rock shaft 52 is actuated to force the valve rod 37 downward into the position shown in Figs.' 4 and 5, and deliver a measured quantity of material into the funnel 35, from whence it passes through the Dopening 36 in the funnelinto the can opening which is immediately beneath the same, the two collars 48 and 49 which actuate the lever 40 being adjusted at such a distance apart as to afford the necessary dwell to permit the material to flow out from between the valves 38, 38, before the rod 37 with the valves is again elevated. At the same time that the rod 37 is lowered by the lever 40, the arm 59 on the shaft 52 depresses the plunger 56, operating to force the can closure or cover tightly into positionon the can, said closures having been placed on the cans by hand when the pockets containing thef cans were in the third and fourth rpositions, regarding the position when the can is received from the feed belt as position No. 1. These functions having been performed, the upward movement of the bar 46 elevates the lever 40, throwing the valves 38, 38', into the positionv shown in Fig. 6, in which, because of the dwell before mentioned, they remain for a suicient time to permit the material t0 flow down between the valves, as shown in Fig. 6. While this is taking place, the pawl 17 has shifted the ratchet 18, thus giving' the disk 23 a onesixth revolution, and bringing the next can under the feed hopper, and advancing another can underfthe closing tool 60, while the can that has just been closed is advanced to the sixth and last position over the opening 30 in the table 28, through which open- .in Vit drops down the chute 31 onto the o bearing belt 32.

The stationary table 28 is provided over a portion of its surface immediately' under the hopper 33 with a number of-perforaY` out of operation at any time, the operator v has but to grasp the handle on the crank arm 13, and throw it upward from'the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby rocking the shaft 12 andshifting the bracket 8,'so as to throw the gear 6 out of mesh with the gear 15. When in 'operative position, the crank arm 13 rests on a stop pin 78, projecting from the frame of the machine.

By means of the constructionv just described, a completely filled and closed `can is discharged at every step in the revolution of the carrier -disk 28; and during the intervals of pause between the steps, an empty can is beind fed to the disk, one is being filled, and one lis being closed. Moreover, it will be observed that the llingmechanism is constructed to accurately measure and supply an exact quantity of material to the cans, the valves 38, S8', being adjustable by reason of their screw-threaded connection with the valve rod 37 and the lock nuts coperating therewith; and that by' reason of the cleaning action of the valves, no material can accumulate on the interior of the tubular portion 3i of 'the measuring device.

'While the machine has been herein described with some particularity, in order that the invention may be readily understood, the invention is not confined to the specific construction shown, nor the. particular proportionsl of the parts, since it will be apparent to anyone skilled in the art that these may be'varied within the limits of the claims hereto appended.

What is claimed is:-

1. In a machine ofthe character described., the combination of an intermittently operated carrier, means for feeding cans thereto during the intervals of rest devices supplying a measured quantity oi material to said cans, mechanism for sealing the cans, and an oscillating rock-shaft simultaneously actuating said supply devices and sealingA mechanism.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier, having pockets therein, means for filling cans positioned in the pockets, a pawl and ratchet imparting intermittent movement to the carrier, a stop for preventing overthrow by said pawl and ratchet, and a stop for preventing back-lash, whereby the exact positioning of the said carrier 1s assured at each stroke of said pawl.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier, means imparting intermittent movement thereto, a can lling device, a can closing device, a rock shaft in operative relation with said illing and closing devices, said shaft having a dwellconnection with said filling device..

. In a can filling and closing machine,

nieuwe the combination of a can carrier, a filling means for the cans, a closing meansy for the cans, means for intermittently'moving thev carrier to successively bringpairs of cans respectively beneath the iilling means and the closing means, a shaft having an arm operatively connected to the filling means and an arm operativelyl connected to the closing means, andmechanism for oscillating theshaft in timed relation with the carrier movements.

5. In a can filling machine, the combina-` tion of a carrier having an endless-series of can-receiving pockets, means for filling cans in the pockets, two oppositely notched ratchet members operatively connected with the carrier, a reciprocating pawl engaging one ratchet member to intermittently movev -the carrier, a stop .forengaging the other ratchet member to prevent over-travel of the Aen carrier, and means separate from the said pawl for momentarily disengaging the stop from itsv ratchet member to permit the pawl to move the carrier.

6. In a can filling machine, the combination of a carrier having an endless series of can-receiving pockets, means for filling cans A in the pockets, two oppositely notched ratchet vmembers operatively connected with tion of a carrier having an endless series of can-receiving pockets, means `for filling cans in the pockets, a rotatable shaft connected with the carrier to move it, two oppositely notched 'ratchet wheels on the shaft, a reciprocatingpawl engaging one ratchet wheel to intermittently turn the shaft and vmove the carrier, and a stopfor engaging the other ratchet wheel to prevent -overtravel of the shaft and carrier.

8. In a can filling machine, the combination of a carrier having an endless series of can-receiving pockets, means for filling cans in the pockets, a rotatable shaft connected with the carrier to move it, two oppositely notched ratchet wheels` on theshaft, a reciprocating pawl engaging one ratchet wheel to intermittently turn the shaft and move the carrier, a stop forengaging the other ratchet wheel to prevent over-travel of the shaft and carrier, and a second stop for engaging the jrirst wheel at the end of each movement to prevent back-lash of the carrier.

9. a can filling machine, the combinavpawl eccentrically connected to the second shaft and engaging one ratchet wheel to intermittently turn the first shaft and move the carrier, a stop for engaging the other ratchet wheel to prevent over-travel vof the shaft and carrier, and a ca m` on the second shaft Jfor momentarily disengaging the stop from its wheel to permit the pawl to turn its wheel.

10. In a can lling machine, the combination 'of a constantly moving belt, a plate having its top iiush with the top of the belt,

an intermittently moving carrier positioned above the plate and the belt and provided at its'edge with spaced pockets open at their tops and bottoms and registering successively with the belt as the carrier moves iutermittently, whereby cans placed on the belt are automatically carried thereby into the pockets successively, and means for lling the said cans while in the said pockets.

11.v In a can iilling machine, the combination of a constantly moving belt, a rotatable disk positioned partly above the belt and provided with spaced peripheral pockets open at their tops and bottoms, a plate beneath the disk with its top flush with the top of the belt, means for intermittently turning the disk to bring the pockets successively over the belt, whereby cans placed on the belt are automatically carried thereby into the pockets successively, and means for filling the said cans while' in the said pockets.

12. In a can filling machine, the combination of a constantly moving belt, stationary longitudinal can-guiding rails above the belt, a carrier positioned partly above the belt and provided at its edge with spacedv pockets open at their tops and bottoms, a plate beneath the carrier with its/top lush with the top of the belt, means for intermittently moving the carrier to bring the pockets successively over the belt and yinto register with the space between the rails, whereby cans placed on the belt are automatically carried thereby, into the pockets successively, and means for filling the said cans while in the said pockets.

13. In a'can filling machine, the'combination of a constantly moving belt,- a rotatable disk positioned partly above the belt and provided with spaced peripheral pockets open at their tops and bottoms, a stationary circumferential rail closely surrounding the disk and imperforate except for a single opening registering with the belt, a plate beneath the disk with its top lush with the,

top of the belt, means for intermittently turning the disk to bring the pockets successively 'over the belt and into registerwith the opening in the rail, whereby cans'placed on the belt are automatically carried thereby into the pockets successively, and means for iilling the said cans while in the said pockets.

14. In a can filling machine, the combination of a constantly moving belt, stationary longitudinal can-guiding rails above the belt, a rotatable disk positioned partly above the belt and provided with spaced peripheral pockets open at their tops and bottoms, a stationary circumferential rail closely surrounding the disk and imperforate except for a single opening registering with the space between thelongitudinal rails, a plate beneath the disk with its top flush with the top of the belt, means for intermittentlyv turning the disk to bring the pockets successively over the belt and into register with the opening in the circumferential rail, whereby cans placed on the belt are automatically carried thereby into the pockets successively, and means for filling the said cans while in the said pockets.

15. In a can filling machine, the combination of a carrier provided at its edge with spaced pockets open at their tops and bottoms, a supporting plate beneath the carrier provided with'a discharge opening, means for intermittently moving the carrier to bring the pockets successively over the discharge opening, whereby cans positioned in the pockets are automatically discharged by gravity successively through the said dis-v charge opening, and means or illing the said cans while in the said pockets.

16. In a can filling machine, the combination of a rotatable disk provided with spaced peripheral pockets open at their tops and bottoms, a supporting plate beneath the carrier and provided' with a discharge opening,

means for intermittently rotating the diskto bring the pockets successively over the discharge opening, whereby cans positioned in the pockets are automatically discharged by gravity successively through the said discharge opening,I and means for filling the said cans While in the said pockets.

17.V In a can filling machine,the combination of a rotatable disk provided with spaced peripheral pockets having their tops and bottoms open, a stationary circumferential rail closely surrounding the disk and imperforate except for a single opening for the feeding of cans into the said pockets, a supporting plate beneath the disk provided with a discharge opening, means for intermittently turning the disk to bring the pockets successively over the discharge opening, whereby cans positioned in the Pockets are automatically discharged by gravity successively through the said discharge open-`l ing, and means for filling the said cans while in the said pockets.

18. In a can filling machine, the combination of a constantly moving belt, a carrier positioned partly above the belt and provided at its edgewith spaced pockets openl at their tops and bottoms, a plate beneath the carrier provided with a discharge opening and having its vtop flush with the top of vthe belt, means for intermittently moving the carrier to bring pairs of pockets `successively into register respectively with the belt and with the discharge opening, whereby cans placed on the belt are automatically carried thereby into the pockets successively v and whereby cans in the pockets are automatically discharged therefrom by gravity through the said discharge opening'succes-V sively, and means for successively filling the said cans while in the said pockets.

19. In acan filling machine, the combination of a constantly moving belt, a rotatable disk positioned partly above the belt and provided with spaced peripheral pockets open at their tops and bottoms, a plate beneath the disk provided with a discharge opening and v'havingits top flush with the top of the belt, means for' intermittently turning thedisk to bring pairs of pockets successively into register respectively with.

peripheral pockets open at their tops and4 bottoms, a stationary. circumferential rail closely surrounding the disk and imperforate except for a single opening registering with the. space between the longitudinal rails, a plate beneath the disk provided with a dlscharge opening and having its top vHush with the top of the belt, means for intermittently turning the disk to bring pairs of pockets successively into register respectively7 with the belt and with the discharge opening, whereby cans laced on the belt are automatically carried t ereby into the pockets successively and whereby cans are automatically discharged from the pockets by gravity through the said discharge opening successively, and means for successively tillmg the said cans while in the said pockets.,

2l. In a can illing machine, the combination of two constantly moving conveyer belts having their active strands at diierent levels, a movable carrier positioned partly above the upper belt and provided at its edges with spaced pockets open at their tops and bottoms, a plate beneath the disk provided with a discharge opening and having its top Hush with the top of the upper belt, means for intermittently turning the disk to bring pairs of pockets successively into register respectively with the belt and with the discharge opening, whereby cans placed on the belt are automatically carried thereby into the pockets successively and whereby .cans are automatically discharged from the pockets by ygravity through the said discharge opening successively, means for guiding the cans from the discharge opening to the lower belt, and means for successively filling the said cans while in the said pockets.

22. In a can filling machine, the combination of a hopper having a spout at its lower end, means for positioning cans beneath the spout, a rod vertically reciprocating in the hopper, and two cones on the rod with their larger ends opposite each other and snugly itting the spout, the said larger ends being provided with sharp scrapingedges.

23. In` a can'illing machine, the combination of a hopper having a spout at'its lower end, means for positioning cans beneath the spout, a rod vertically reciprocating in the hopper, and two cones on the rod with their larger ends opposite each other and snugly fitting the spout, the said larger ends being provided with shar said cones being ad]ustab1e on the rod toward and from each other.

spout, a rod vertically reciprocating in the hopper, two cones on the rod with their larger ends opposite each other and snugly iittlng the spout, the said larger ends being provided with sharp scraping edges, and a funnel below the bottom of the spout and above the cans, the upper end of thefunnel being larger than the spout. v

25. In a can filling machine, the combina: tion of a hopper having a spout at its lower end, means for positioning cans beneath the spout, a rod vertically movable in the hopper, two cones on the rod with their larger ends opposite each other and snugly fitting' the spout, the said larger endsbelng profor vertically reciprocating the rod and giving it a dwell at each end of each reciprocation.

26. In a machine of the characterdei e scraping edges, the

12o" A vided with sharp scraping edges, and means r other and snugly fitting the spout, the said larger ends being provided with sharp scraping edges, and means for reciprocating the rod to cause the said scraping edge tO engage the entire inner surface of the spout during each cycle vof reciprocations.

27. In a device of the character described, the combination of a hopper having a spout at its lower end, means for supporting cans beneath the spout, a rod vertically reciprocating in the hopper, and two cones 'scraping edges.

In testimony whereof I have signedthis specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. f

FRANK B.YMARTIN.

Witnesses:

W. J. COOPER, Y VEEN D. SUTTON. 

